During the next two weeks while Jonathan Toews is out of the lineup, there’s a few things the Hawks have to do in order to secure themselves of as many points as possible.
- Don’t take unneccessary penalties, especially when the opponent has a top 10 power play unit.
- Maximize every roster spot to its fullest. If you’re already down one of your best skill players, it does absolutely no good to have someone like say, John Scott, chewing up another roster spot while someone like Jack Skille sits. I get the John Scott obsession, I mean I think I do, but now is not the time.
- Scoring three goals should be enough to at least get a point.
The Hawks failed in all of those categories on Thursday night and it cost them a point in the standings. The Sharks capitalized twice on the power play and on the game-winning goal, Jassen Cullimore’s penalty had just expired when Joe Thornton tipped it past Marty Turco. So essentially, the Sharks scored three times thanks to their power play.
Meanwhile, the Hawks capitalized on two power plays themselves, put themselves back in the game miraculously in the final 30 seconds of the second period, only to see it all slip away in the third period.
If there’s any silver lining in the loss, (and believe me, it’s tough to find any these days) it appears that John Scott may sit for at least a game. Scott had an awful first period. He was unable to get the puck deep into the San Jose zone which led to Scot Nichol’s goal. He took a lazy penalty which San Jose scored on and only had (maybe) two to three shifts after that.
So there’s that.
Fifth Feather 
Yeah, absolutely know reason for Skille to be sitting and Scott dressed tonight. Then again, I can’t see any reason why Tomas Kopecky should be playing top 6 minutes, either.
Er, no reason.
I can understand John Scott’s role on the ice but I find myself saying out loud while watching Nick Boynton & Kopecky “haven’t you ever played hockey before today?” There are no stupider hockey players on the ice when they both are out there. I can barely watch. Especially when Hendry and Skille are on the bench.
Last night’s roster choices were atrocious. How Scott keeps dressing at the expense of guys who can actually, you know, PLAY a little bit is staggering. There is simply nothing that hack can do on a hockey rink that outweighs what any scratch that night can do. Nothing.
Q best realize Scott is a bum before it costs us enough of those precious points that we miss the playoffs.
While we’re fixing things, someone get the refs some glasses.
They suck.
Hawks sign Dylan Olsen to three year entry-level deal and assign him to Rockford following the WJ. He was set to be academically ineligible for play this coming semester.
Where’d you get that from Mick? The academically ineligible stuff that is.
Here’s the website: http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/12/31_olsen_bolts_umd;_signs_with.php
CT, despite his disingenousness, knows very well why Jack Skille sat.
Mr Skille had been in a burrito-eating contest with Bryan Bickell the day of the St Louis game (at one of CT’s favorite Mexican restaurants in STL, “El Mohon de Manuel”).
Mr Skille, being overcome by his own noxious gasses, was unable to get a shot on net vs. The Blues.
Smilin’ Jack was still woozy from his emissions by the time the Sharks arrived in CHI.
Hence, Q was forced to rest young Skille, and deploy Mssrs Scott and Hendry. The pair, who had declined the burrito battle, had, however, eaten their game day lunch at a local sushi bar in Evanston (one of Fork’s recommended establishments, The Zen Tuna).
Unfortunately, John Scott consumed one too many sea urchin (at the urging of Fork). The oil contained in the sea urchin made Scott’s palms greasy, which impeded his puckhandling that night.
These are the small details that can influence hockey games.
And the 1-goal losses continue to pile up.
I have to say though that the 40-18 shot advantage in an L reminded me of last year. Ah memories.